The policy was updated in September 2025 with the following changes:
Combined information from the previous policies titled: Payment of consultant clinicians and policy on funding the salaries of investigators
This policy sets out our approach to funding the salaries of non-clinical and clinical investigators involved in research funded by us.
This policy applies to researchers and clinicians that act as investigators on response-mode award applications (for example, but not limited to, primers, projects, programmes, fellowships, clinical trials) submitted to or funded by us, including their host institutions.
This policy does not apply to funding the salaries of:
core funded institutes (ie Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, Francis Crick Institute)
strategic appointments agreed as part of a centre or centre of excellence award, clinical trials unit, research nurses or specific appointments made relating to one of our strategic priority areas
investigators who are based at non-academic organisations (excluding NHS environments)
named research staff on grant applications to us who are not the lead, joint lead or co-investigator
Investigator | This refers to lead applicants (the principal investigator with an independent scientific or research career who is leading the work), joint lead applicants (an additional principal investigator who is recognised with equal status as the lead applicant) or co-investigators (an individual who provides significant intellectual input to the research and who may be responsible for the day-to-day running of some of the work). For us, this could include, but is not limited to, postdoctoral researchers and technology specialists providing significant intellectual input to grant writing and design and who are involved in the management of the project. |
Consultant clinician | A clinician who has completed their specialist training and is appropriately qualified in a clinical specialism; is practising as an honorary, fixed term or substantive consultant in the UK health services; and is on the Specialist Register. |
Fellowship awards | Personal fellowships tailored for key career stages, where we fund the salary plus research expenses as appropriate. The fellowships protect the award-holders time to focus on their research and development commensurate with their career stage. For example, to support researchers to establish their own independent cancer research programmes and transition into scientific leadership positions. |
Response-mode awards | Investigator-led grants which include, but are not limited to, primers, projects, programmes, fellowships and clinical trials on topics within the remit of our research strategy. |
We generally do not fund non-clinical investigator salaries in UK academic settings on response-mode awards except as set out in this policy and as outlined in our relevant grant application scheme guidelines.
For applicants in UK academic settings, we may consider providing the salary of the following:
a. One non-clinical investigator on a response-mode project or primer award if you meet all these criteria:
You are an early- to mid-career researcher as defined by our competency framework , specifically the career stage headings of Develop Independence or Establish Independence.
You will be spending the majority of your time on this project (typically 80-100% of research time).
You have not previously had your salary provided as an investigator on a project award from us (ie you have not relied on this exception before for a project; this clause does not apply if your salary was provided under a primer award).
If successful, you will not have an existing salary for the proposed duration of the award other than from a grant-funded position that would be relinquished.
You only request the salary for the duration of the award.
b. One non-clinical co-investigator (that may include individuals as outlined in 4.1a above) or other senior researcher as named research staff on a programme award. Again in these cases you must only request the salary for the duration of the award and spend the majority of your time on this project (typically 80-100% of research time).
Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must be clearly linked to supporting your career as an investigator, and delivery of the research. We advise you contact the office before including such a request on a grant application.
We do not fund non-clinical investigator salaries on the following schemes or circumstances:
as lead or joint leads on programme or programme foundation awards
as ‘buy out’ or otherwise to cover academic teaching time
We generally do not fund clinical investigator salaries on response-mode awards except as set out in this policy and as outlined in our relevant grant application scheme guidelines.
For applicants who are UK-based clinicians, we will provide the relevant proportion of salary of a clinical investigator(s), as lead, joint lead or co-investigator, on a response mode grant intended to deliver a clinical study. To be eligible, you must meet all the following criteria:
You intend to provide intellectual input on a clinical study where the appointment is not already agreed as part of core funding for clinical trials units (as set out in Section 2 of this policy).
You are an NHS professional primarily working within the clinic, necessitating that your time be ‘bought out’ to be an investigator on the study funded by us.
There is scope for your salary to be bought out for the duration of the award to be able to undertake the research ie you have not already maximised your allowable potential research time. You must only request a salary for the duration of the award and justify this in your application.
If you already hold an academic appointment and require additional research time to be bought out, then justification will be required as to why this cannot be covered by existing arrangements with your academic host institution and NHS Trust.
Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must be clearly linked to delivery of the clinical study. We advise you contact the office before including such a request on a grant application.
Any requests for consultant clinician salaries must include the number of PAs in the full-time basic contract. Requests for part-funded posts must be on the basis of number of PAs to be supported, not on a percentage of the full-time salary. If there are more than 10 PAs, we will require justification to support up to one APA for academic work.
We do not fund clinical investigator salaries on the following schemes or circumstances:
as lead or joint leads on programme or programme foundation awards
to meet the costs of NHS merit awards or on-call supplements
For non-clinical fellowship awards in UK academic settings we will:
only fund investigator salaries for specific non-clinical fellowship schemes, as per application guidelines
not fund investigator salaries on the following non-clinical fellowship schemes or circumstances:
on a Career Establishment Award
as ‘buy out’ or otherwise to cover academic teaching time
For UK-based clinicians we will do the following:
Fund investigator salaries of clinicians for specific fellowship schemes as per the application guidelines.
Base the salary of a consultant clinician on a contract of up to 11 programmed activities (10 PAs + 1 APA for academic work), or as set out in the scheme specific application guidelines. We will not meet any extra awards or merits on top of basic salary.
Base the pre-CCT clinician salary on the appropriate host institution/NHS pay scale commensurate with their career stage.
Provide a salary supplement for the duration of the clinician fellowship and as per the rates in the relevant application guidelines.
Host institutions outside the UK may allocate their grant funds to investigator salaries in accordance with local mechanisms if they meet all the following criteria:
It is standard practice in the international host institution’s jurisdiction for investigator salaries to be funded from response-mode research awards.
The investigator’s employment contract requires a contribution to their salary to be sourced from grants held by that individual.
The policy is effective from September 2025. The policy will be reviewed every three years and any changes will be approved by the Grants Management Policy Board.
For any queries about this policy please contact: policies@cancer.org.uk.
For more information, please see the following documents/web pages:
